Dame Sheila Wallis  DBE

Dame Sheila Wallis (above), a graduate of the Chelsea College of Physical Education (1964), has had an impressive career as a teacher covering 38 years, including 21 years as Deputy Head and Headteacher at Davison CE High School for Girls, in Worthing.

During her time as Headteacher, Sheila introduced a significant number of initiatives which resulted in a 67% increase in pupil numbers and the GCSE pass rate increasing from 31% A to C pass to 75%. Under Dame Sheila’s leadership Davison CE High School’s many achievements have been recognised through numerous awards such as the International Schools Award, Beacon of Excellence Award and Sportsmark Gold.

Two initiatives (the Expert Trail and Cover Supervision programmes for the delivery of Continuing Professional Development) were followed closely by the Government and included in the White Paper "Schools Achieving Success".

Her commitments outside Davison included membership of the West Sussex Headteachers’ Executive and being invited by the Education Management South East Consortium to train candidates for the new national qualification for headteachers.

Dame Sheila has been honoured for her contribution to education in the local region and beyond, through being awarded the honour of Dame of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (2002) and the Lifetime Achievement Award in the BT Teaching Awards (2002). Now retired, amongst other projects, she is currently working with a University of Cambridge colleague on two research projects concerned with learning development.